The Finnish Socialist Club of Astoria, Oregon was founded in 1904. In a few years, its membership numbered between three and four hundred. The Club founded the socialist newspaper Toveri, which became one of three major newspapers of the national Finnish Socialist Federation, together with Työmies and Raivaaja. Toveri was financially dependent upon the Finnish Socialist Club and its staff were influential in Club activities. Another major project of the Club was construction of a large hall in 1911, complete with an opera house, ballroom, bowling alley, library, poolroom, custodial living quarters, and a store. For twelve years, until it burned in 1923, the hall was the center of cultural life for Astoria's socialist Finns. Many prominent Finnish socialists participated in its many activities, among them: Lauri Lemberg; Rosa Lemberg; John Malo; Waino Riippa; and George Altman.
Minutes (1912-1915), in Finnish, of the Finnish Socialist Club (Astoria, Ore.), Board of Directors. Although the minutes deal mainly with business affairs, they indirectly reflect much of the cultural and political activity in the Astoria Finnish socialist community during this time. For example, the minutes for 1913 include records of donations to the striking copper miners in Michigan. Except for Board minutes published in the newspaper Toveri, these are the only known extant minutes of the Finnish Socialist Club of Astoria, Oregon.
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